2. A hospital service
corporation contract that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is
delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1938,
c.366 (C.17:48-1 et seq.), or approved for issuance or renewal in this State by
the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, on or after the effective date of
this act, shall provide coverage for medically necessary expenses incurred in
the purchase of a hearing aid for a covered person 15 years of age or younger,
as provided in this section.

A hospital service corporation
contract shall provide coverage that includes the purchase of a hearing aid for
each ear, when medically necessary and as prescribed or recommended by a
licensed physician or audiologist. A hospital service corporation may limit
the benefit provided in this section to $1,000 per hearing aid for each
hearing-impaired ear every 24 months. A covered person may choose a hearing
aid that is priced higher than the benefit payable under this section and may
pay the difference between the price of the hearing aid and the benefit payable
under this section, without financial or contractual penalty to the provider of
the hearing aid.

The benefits shall be provided
to the same extent as for any other condition under the contract.

This section shall apply to
those hospital service corporation contracts in which the hospital service corporation
has reserved the right to change the premium.

3. A medical service
corporation contract that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is
delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1940, c.74
(C.17:48A-1 et seq.), or approved for issuance or renewal in this State by the
Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, on or after the effective date of this
act, shall provide coverage for medically necessary expenses incurred in the
purchase of a hearing aid for a covered person 15 years of age or younger, as
provided in this section.

A medical service corporation
contract shall provide coverage that includes the purchase of a hearing aid for
each ear, when medically necessary and as prescribed or recommended by a
licensed physician or audiologist. A medical service corporation may limit the
benefit provided in this section to $1,000 per hearing aid for each
hearing-impaired ear every 24 months. A covered person may choose a hearing
aid that is priced higher than the benefit payable under this section and may
pay the difference between the price of the hearing aid and the benefit payable
under this section, without financial or contractual penalty to the provider of
the hearing aid.

The benefits shall be provided
to the same extent as for any other condition under the contract.

This section shall apply to
those medical service corporation contracts in which the medical service
corporation has reserved the right to change the premium.

4. A health service
corporation contract that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is
delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1985,
c.236 (C.17:48E-1 et al.), or approved for issuance or renewal in this State by
the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, on or after the effective date of
this act, shall provide coverage for medically necessary expenses incurred in
the purchase of a hearing aid for a covered person 15 years of age or younger,
as provided in this section.

A health service corporation
contract shall provide coverage that includes the purchase of a hearing aid for
each ear, when medically necessary and as prescribed or recommended by a
licensed physician or audiologist. A health service corporation may limit the
benefit provided in this section to $1,000 per hearing aid for each
hearing-impaired ear every 24 months. A covered person may choose a hearing
aid that is priced higher than the benefit payable under this section and may
pay the difference between the price of the hearing aid and the benefit payable
under this section, without financial or contractual penalty to the provider of
the hearing aid.

The benefits shall be provided
to the same extent as for any other condition under the contract.

This section shall apply to
those health service corporation contracts in which the health service
corporation has reserved the right to change the premium.

5. An individual health
insurance policy that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is
delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to chapter 26 of
Title 17B of the New Jersey Statutes, or approved for issuance or renewal in
this State by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, on or after the
effective date of this act, shall provide coverage for medically necessary
expenses incurred in the purchase of a hearing aid for a covered person 15
years of age or younger, as provided in this section.

A policy shall provide
coverage that includes the purchase of a hearing aid for each ear, when
medically necessary and as prescribed or recommended by a licensed physician or
audiologist. An insurer may limit the benefit provided in this section to $1,000
per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 24 months. A covered
person may choose a hearing aid that is priced higher than the benefit payable
under this section and may pay the difference between the price of the hearing
aid and the benefit payable under this section, without financial or
contractual penalty to the provider of the hearing aid.

The benefits shall be provided
to the same extent as for any other condition under the policy.

This section shall apply to
those policies in which the insurer has reserved the right to change the
premium.

6. A group health insurance
policy that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is delivered,
issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to chapter 27 of Title 17B
of the New Jersey Statutes, or approved for issuance or renewal in this State
by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, on or after the effective date of
this act, shall provide coverage for medically necessary expenses incurred in
the purchase of a hearing aid for a covered person 15 years of age or younger,
as provided in this section.

A policy shall provide
coverage that includes the purchase of a hearing aid for each ear, when
medically necessary and as prescribed or recommended by a licensed physician or
audiologist. An insurer may limit the benefit provided in this section to
$1,000 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 24 months. A
covered person may choose a hearing aid that is priced higher than the benefit
payable under this section and may pay the difference between the price of the
hearing aid and the benefit payable under this section, without financial or
contractual penalty to the provider of the hearing aid.

The benefits shall be provided
to the same extent as for any other condition under the policy.

This section shall apply to
those policies in which the insurer has reserved the right to change the
premium.

7. An individual health
benefits plan that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is
delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1992,
c.161 (C.17B:27A-2 et al.), on or after the effective date of this act, shall
provide coverage for medically necessary expenses incurred in the purchase of a
hearing aid for a covered person 15 years of age or younger, as provided in
this section.

A health benefits plan shall
provide coverage that includes the purchase of a hearing aid for each ear, when
medically necessary and as prescribed or recommended by a licensed physician or
audiologist. A carrier may limit the benefit provided in this section to $1,000
per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 24 months. A covered
person may choose a hearing aid that is priced higher than the benefit payable
under this section and may pay the difference between the price of the hearing
aid and the benefit payable under this section, without financial or
contractual penalty to the provider of the hearing aid.

The benefits shall be provided
to the same extent as for any other condition under the health benefits plan.

This section shall apply to
those health benefits plans in which the carrier has reserved the right to
change the premium.

8. A small employer health
benefits plan that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is
delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1992,
c.162 (C.17B:27A-17 et seq.), on or after the effective date of this act, shall
provide coverage for medically necessary expenses incurred in the purchase of a
hearing aid for a covered person 15 years of age or younger, as provided in
this section.

A health benefits plan shall
provide coverage that includes the purchase of a hearing aid for each ear, when
medically necessary and as prescribed or recommended by a licensed physician or
audiologist. A carrier may limit the benefit provided in this section to $1,000
per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 24 months. A covered person
may choose a hearing aid that is priced higher than the benefit payable under
this section and may pay the difference between the price of the hearing aid
and the benefit payable under this section, without financial or contractual
penalty to the provider of the hearing aid.

The benefits shall be provided
to the same extent as for any other condition under the health benefits plan.

This section shall apply to
those health benefits plans in which the carrier has reserved the right to
change the premium.

9. A health maintenance
organization contract for health care services that is delivered, issued,
executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1973, c.337 (C.26:2J-1 et
seq.), or approved for issuance or renewal in this State by the Commissioner of
Banking and Insurance, on or after the effective date of this act, shall
provide health care services for medically necessary expenses incurred in the
purchase of a hearing aid for an enrollee 15 years of age or younger, as
provided in this section.

The health care services shall
include the purchase of a hearing aid for each ear, when medically necessary
and as prescribed or recommended by a licensed physician or audiologist. A
health maintenance organization may limit the health care services provided in
this section to $1,000 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 24
months. An enrollee may choose a hearing aid that is priced higher than the
health care services payable under this section and may pay the difference
between the price of the hearing aid and the health care services payable under
this section, without financial or contractual penalty to the provider of the
hearing aid.

The health care services shall
be provided to the same extent as for any other condition under the contract.

This section shall apply to
those contracts for health care services under which the right to change the
schedule of charges for enrollee coverage is reserved.

10. The State Health Benefits
Commission shall, on or after the effective date of this act, provide benefits
for medically necessary expenses incurred in the purchase of a hearing aid for
a covered person 15 years of age or younger, as provided in this section.

The benefits shall include the
purchase of a hearing aid for each ear, when medically necessary and as
prescribed or recommended by a licensed physician or audiologist. The
commission may limit the benefit provided in this section to $1,000 per hearing
aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 24 months. A covered person may choose
a hearing aid that is priced higher than the benefit payable under this section
and may pay the difference between the price of the hearing aid and the benefit
payable under this section, without financial or contractual penalty to the
provider of the hearing aid.

11. The Commissioner of Human
Services shall ensure that every contract for health care services under the NJ
FamilyCare Program established pursuant to sections 3 through 5 of P.L.2005,
c.156 (C.30:4J-10 through C.30:4J-12), entered into on or after the effective
date of this act, provides benefits for medically necessary expenses incurred
in the purchase of a hearing aid for a covered person 15 years of age or
younger, as provided in this section.

The benefits shall include the
purchase of a hearing aid for each ear, when medically necessary and as
prescribed or recommended by a licensed physician or audiologist. The
commissioner may limit the benefit provided in this section to $1,000 per
hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 24 months in any of the NJ
FamilyCare Program plans, and may provide, when applicable, that a covered
person may choose a hearing aid that is priced higher than the benefit payable
under this section and may pay the difference between the price of the hearing
aid and the benefit payable under this section, without financial or
contractual penalty to the provider of the hearing aid.